Living with an open heart
by MJLupin27
Summary: A three chapter exploration of Sammuel Oak's grieving and picking up process. Will be Eldershipping
1. Chapter 1

Professor Samuel Oak was exhausted. Arriving to his home in Pallet Town, he just wasn't sure how long had he been awake or when was the last time he had eaten. He was so worn out he was having a hard time not falling to the floor as he walked. It was not an unfamiliar feeling for him though; sometimes he even had a hard time remembering how it felt to be refreshed and well rested. Just in that very moment he could feel years and years of tiredness crashing into him as he vent his coat in the nearest couch of his living room without a care in the world.

Funerals could do that to you… especially if you were burying the one that had been your wife for the last twenty five years.

Oak clashed into a sofa with his hands covering his face and sighed. He could feel the tears hammering in his eyes, just about to unleash the grief he had suppressed in front of his family and friends. He had tried to be strong for them but now, alone, he couldn't help but argue that it was not the time for his Rose to die. Not just yet, not when she had so much time to live, so much to enjoy. And now… now she was gone.

But what about their life together, what about their son? What about their grandson and the grandchild who was to be born in a few months? And for God's sake what about him?!

A sob crossed the air, what about him…! Robert was a grown man with his own family, there was no one else in there with him now. After years of taking care of his lovely wife, cancer had taking her away. His life had revolved around her needs for so long and now she was in a place where she no longer needed him to feel comfortable. Oh, his Rose… who would now make sure he eats properly when he was immersed in his research? Who would stay all night singing near him when he takes care of a sick Pokemon? Who would defend him from all the people who seek to diminish his work? Who would send them to hell politely and undetected? Who would keep his heart warm when the cold world hit?

Only she could do all that.

He felt hopeless.

And he was supposed to recover from all this. How? The day Rose died she made him promise he'd be okay. She made him promise he'd be happy and generous as he had always been, and she had utterly prohibited him to become bitter and cranky. "Take care of yourself, take care of Robert and the kids and keep being the man I fell in love with." Those were her final words. But as much as he hated to break a promise to her, continuing his life normally sounded absolutely crazy and illogical. Being happy without her sure was a mathematical contradiction.

And so he did the only logical thing.

He cried himself to sleep.

 **Thanks to Forever-Tangled for playing beta in here :D don't forget to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Samuel Oak was in his natural habitat, yes. He was in his lab immersed in mountains of knowledge and piles of books as tall as trees. That had been his life for the last two years: attending to Pokemon and when not, doing research. He'd published more papers in that time that the rest of his years all put together. That had been his way to deal with grief whenever his grandkids weren't around to keep him cheerful.

A knock on his door startled him, returning him from the little world he'd been immersed in. 'What was that about?' he thought, until he looked at the time.

-Oh, lunch. - He muttered to himself as he rose from his chair.

As expected, there was a familiar face waiting for him.

-Mrs. Ketchum- he greeted- it's good to see you-

-Hello, professor. I've brought you today's special menu, as usual. - she smiled.

-Please, come in. I'll search for my wallet.-

Mrs. Ketchum was a nice woman. She ran one of the best homey restaurants in Pallet Town that had received his daily call for meal ever since Rose's passing and his consequent disregard for executing any culinary labors. Since he'd found he quite liked the tasty, well balanced food from Mrs. Ketchum's restaurant, he had made a permanent subscription. Usually, her son acted as a delivery boy, but he'd now gone back to school.

-Here it is- he said smiling.

-Great! I actually expected a bit more of a wait- she received the payment somewhat sheepishly. He didn't seem to mind.

-It doesn't seem like it, but I know where everything is. It's an order only I seem to understand, maybe for being a scientist and all that- Samuel answered, chuckling softly and a bit self-conscious, attempting to clean his desk. But then he caught sight of his wife's photograph and remembered why he left a bit of a mess around. It was just so hard to see Rose without her being there… he kept the photo in sight and at the same time half covered.

A hand in his shoulder startled him, he'd forgotten about Mrs. Ketchum being there.

-It's hard, isn't? - she said with a half smile. – I've been through it, I know it hurts. Just know that there will come the time, professor, when you'll be able to think of her without the pain crushing your heart.-

Samuel felt a knot in his throat and settled by nodding once. He avoided the subject as the plague, he just couldn't handle it, but Mrs Ketchum had just managed to be understanding without sounding pitying and making the pain worse. No one else had done that before.

He felt a wave of gratitude towards her.

-Thank you, and… and not just for the food. - Mrs. Ketchum smiled once again.

-My pleasure. It's pasta, I think you once said it was your favorite. – She said, preparing to leave, and then continued lightheartedly- Hopefully, tomorrow will be even better.

Watching her walk down the lab's path, he thought about her words. Maybe, tomorrow will indeed be better… maybe, he'd even be able to look at Rose's photo without stuff blocking the view.

 **Feed the writer, send some comment! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

"How time flies!" Professor Oak found himself thinking one evening. The thought made him pause, for it had appeared suddenly after thinking of Pokémon all day. First it was a Fearow's broken wing, then a scratch in a Rattata's back, afterwards a burned Bulbasaur and now Ash's Snorlax massive indigestion. Some days even having time to think peacefully was rare. But as he rubbed the big fellow's belly, he indulged his mind's observation.

Things had changed so much. Five years had passed since Rose's death and his life had taking him in many different roads since then. He'd gotten used to sleeping alone again, and had taken the habit of riding his bike after lunch. He had even taken some few trips abroad to further investigate some subjects, which he hadn't done in quite a while.

Oh, he still was the same in some ways, he guessed. He continued to love his Rose with all his heart and he remembered her laughter as if he'd never stopped listening to it. He continued to take the utmost joy and pride in his son and grandkids and treated kindly everyone he encountered. He still missed having Rose singing near him when working with Pokémon, having the radio on had become a necessity of sorts. All those years of singing hadn't been in vain and he felt close to her memory that way.

But, yeah, there had been lots of changes.

As not being startled by arms suddenly snaking his torso from behind.

-Is he any better, love?- Delia Ketchum placed a kiss on the back of his neck.

-A bit. He returned your boots ten minutes ago. The more he vomits, the better he'll feel.- She nodded and released her hold of him to tenderly caress the Pokemon's big head.

Samuel smiled as Delia sweet talked to Snorlax. She had brought him so much happiness. He'd never known to live with an open heart until she entered his life.

Delia had been right. He could now remember his late wife just with fondness and not with pain. She had taught him that loving her didn't mean he was replacing Rose, it just meant that his heart had gotten bigger to create a place that belong only to Delia. She had helped him heal and made him feel loved and alive again. She had given him a new purpose: live to love.

Things had changed, yes. Now his desk was always clean, Delia made sure of it. It was her way of loving him, making sure he felt at peace. Delia had managed to allow him to have Rose's photo always displayed.

 **Express yourselves! say what you feel :D**


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